4 in 10 Workers Suffering Burnout

What happened

Over 40% of workers in the latest Future Forum Pulse survey reported they were suffering from burnout. That's a slight increase on last quarter and also represents the highest percentage since May 2021 when the organization first started collecting burnout data. "Burnout remains a critical issue in the workplace," said a Future Forum press release.

So what

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is categorized by feelings of exhaustion, negativity, and reduced efficiency at work. It is a growing problem in the workplace and can have an impact on your health and well-being. Women are more likely to struggle with burnout than men, as are workers under the age of 30. From a business perspective, employees who feel burned out at work are less effective and more likely to quit.

Now what

There are many different causes of burnout. It could be that you are overworked or that you don't feel your efforts are fully recognized. Perhaps you're having a hard time with specific people in the workplace, or your values don't align with those of your organization.

You may be able to resolve some issues by sitting down and talking to your manager, but there is also a financial side to tackling burnout. For starters, it's much easier to handle any potential work changes with confidence if you know where you stand financially. Before you talk to your boss, work out how much you spend versus what you earn each month and whether you're on track financially.

If the main issue is overwork, consider what's driving you to work more hours. Try to understand if you're being asked to do too much, or if you're worried you don't have enough money in your bank account. Many Americans have taken on extra work in recent months to deal with higher living costs. That's understandable, but if it is taking a toll on your health, it might be time to rethink a little.

Let's say your savings account is in good shape and you're on top of your retirement savings. If that's the case, perhaps you could afford to take your foot off the gas for the sake of your well-being. In an extreme, you might decide to quit your job. But you could also see if your company would consider a sabbatical or working a four-day week -- particularly if you could swallow a reduction in your income.

If you aren't comfortable with your financial situation, are there ways you could cut costs rather than pushing yourself to work harder? Can you start to put even $10 or $20 a month into an emergency fund so that you don't need to stress so much about unexpected expenses? Or could you at least carve a little time out of each day for yourself? Bear in mind that burnout can impact your health and, in a worst case scenario, could stop you working altogether.